


Together after the War

by WinterWolf773



Series: Bispearl 2019 [3]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Bispearl Week 2019, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-11-01 12:15:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17867081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterWolf773/pseuds/WinterWolf773
Summary: Bispearl Week 2019 Prompt# 3 Together after the war.





	Together after the War

Bismuth stretched as she came out of the lava she had just activated in The Forge.  She went to grab materials to make some sort of weapon but her motivation suddenly faded.  She sighed and then laid back on the anvil, staring at all the in-progress and completed weapons suspended from the ceiling.  Bismuth frowned, trying to figure out what she was feeling.  She loved making weapons and armor, it was one of the biggest passions in her life, but right now it just felt...pointless? 

Bismuth placed it finally, the war was over.  Completely over, the Diamonds were, for the most part, allies now.  Bismuth grimaced, she wasn't sure what to think about that.  She was still angry with Homeworld.  She knew peace was good and ultimately what she wanted, but that didn't change the past.  The horrible things Homeworld had done. How devastating watching close friends being shattered in front of her eyes was.  The fear she felt every time she combed the battle field in the aftermath, searching for whole gems that had just been poofed, or at least shards to collect of those that... Bismuth clenched her jaw and fought tears. “It's over now, Bis, get a grip,” she chided herself.

She sat up, “You can do literally _anything_ now, so do it!”

Nothing came to her mind though.  She flopped back down onto the anvil.  She had never thought about life after the war.  She never thought about the war ending at all.  Not that she thought she wasn't going to make it through, or that she didn't want the war to end, she just...didn't plan anything else.  There was so much to do, so much to fight for, and as the rebellion dragged on for hundreds of years, it became easier and easier to just saturate all of her thoughts with the war.  Had to make new weapons for the new recruits.  Redesign armor to improve her comrade's survival rates, fortify major bases, gather or steal more materials to keep making everything, fight in the battles, worry about Rose, Garnet and Pearl, especially Pearl, it never ended.  She was a Gem prone to throwing herself into her work with unabashed passion and she had done just that with the rebellion. Now it was over.  So what did that make her?  Who was she now?  Bismuth couldn't hold back tears anymore.

“Bismuth!” A familiar voice called in sing-song as she came down the entrance to The Forge.  Bismuth bolted upright and wiped tears away with her apron, but it was too late, “Bis? What's wrong?”

Pearl was swift but silent as she crossed the room to Bismuth's side.

Bismuth tried to laugh her morose mood off, “Just thinking too much.  Which, I suppose for someone like me any thinking is too much right? Just a bismuth, we're all just dense clods of-” she cut herself off and covered her face. She hadn't thought about being under Homeworld for ages, being unseen mostly as she worked tirelessly to build and repair whatever she was ordered to, how she was talked down on or chased away if she was noticed, the way her agate laughed and punished her for suggesting an improvement on a design for one of the spires, when an upper class Gem made fun of how she spoke, how incredibly small she felt despite her physical size.

Bismuth started feeling angry again.  It wasn't fair, it never had been, and even with the Diamonds sudden change of heart, which she remained dubious of, it still wasn't fair.  Small, yet strong hands with long fingers rested softly on Bismuth's fingers and pulled her much larger hands away from her face.  Bismuth tried to look away from Pearl's eyes but she couldn't resist, especially not when she saw Pearl was tearing up empathically. When Pearl spoke her voice was so soft it sent shivers down Bismuth's form, “Bis, you are absolutely brilliant.  I can't think of a single thing you've done that I consider unintelligent or dense.”

Bismuth scoffed, “How about, oh shattering Pink Diamond will solve all our problems?”

“Well,” Pearl squeezed Bismuth's fingers, “since I'm the one that actually 'shattered' Pink Diamond we can be dense clods together at least.”

Bismuth chuckled and then sighed as she held Pearl's hands and rested her forehead on Pearl's gem, “I don't know what to do anymore.  The war is over, and we won...mostly.  No need for an overzealous blacksmith now.”

Pearl took a moment to reply, “I suppose...yes, the war is finally over. Some of our friends are still out there Corrupted that we need to track down, and...there are still a lot of wounds to heal and challenges to face with this new...whatever exactly we have with the Diamonds.  There will always be a need for a passionate blacksmith though,” her face flushed as she quietly added, “especially in my life.”

Bismuth leaned back so she could look at Pearl more, “I suppose...I can still make swords and all.  They don't necessarily have to be for battle, and I know at least you'll always appreciate them.”

Pearl nodded.

“It was kinda fun making those rings for Ruby and Sapphire too...maybe I can explore that more.  And, and, ya know, I wouldn't mind rebuilding spires and creating new structures for our friends to live in.”

Pearl smiled, “See, always a need for you.  You are more than just a blacksmith and a rebel though too.  Your work doesn't have to define all of you.  Trust me, from one workaholic to another, balance is the key.”

Bismuth smiled, “Ha, I will take that under advisement.  It's just, I mean...it's a little, scary to be honest, not having a specific goal in mind.  But, I suppose it's exciting too.  A brand new start, a chance to reinvent myself again,” she unconsciously started sitting up straighter, “and that could be fun.”

“It _will_ be,” Pearl insisted, “not all the time, but most of the time.”

Bismuth nodded, “Y-yeah, especially with you by my side.”

Pearl blushed again, “I, well, I suppose, oh,” she laughed at herself from nerves, “I will certainly do my best to support you through your endeavors.”

Bismuth pulled Pearl a little closer, “Heh, and I know you, when you put your mind to something, you get results.”

“One of the other ways we're so similar,” Pearl said.

“Oh good, another thing we can be dense clods together over,” Bismuth smirked, “We're a regular hopeless clump aren't we?”

Pearl laughed and teased, “Well, some polishing may be called for, but, if I'm going to be a clump, I'm glad it's with you.”

“I wonder how it's gonna be,” Bismuth gave Pearl a squeeze.

“What do you mean?” Pearl raised an eyebrow.

“What this life after the war is going to be, I wonder how it's all gonna turn out.”

Pearl hummed, pretending to ponder the question, “well, it's whatever we make of it, so,” she leaned in, “I know it could only be beautiful.”

Bismuth placed a hand to Pearl's back and pressed them together, locking Pearl's thin lips with hers.  They remained kissing for a few moments, then Bismuth broke it, “Thank you Pearl.  You're right, it may be a mystery now, but I'm gonna do something awesome, and we, we're gonna be awesome too.  Nothing gonna keep me down, and nothing gonna take us out.”

Bismuth jumped up and turned the lava off, “how 'bout you and I go somewhere? Have an adventure?”

Pearl adjusted her jacket, “Of course, I'm always ready for the pleasure of your company.  Where shall we go?”

Bismuth grabbed Pearl by the hand, renewed hope adding a pep in her gait, “I don't even know, I'll decided in the warp stream.”

Pearl couldn't help but fret for a moment, but the giddiness radiating from Bismuth was infectious so she pushed it aside with a laugh, “Right, no plan, no expectations, let's just have fun!”

“Hell yeah!” Bismuth boomed and whooped.


End file.
